An update to a hyper local story in my hometown is useful for participants in the American form of government across the nation. Despite all the cynicism about politics, the insistence that the politicians are indifferent to the moods of voters, it turns out elections really do matter. First, some back story. Earlier this year…

“We’re deeply disappointed by the sole action of Representative Dan Ruby for making this local control matter a State issue,” Mayor Shaun Sipma says. Sipma is responding to legislation passed in Bismarck this session which restricts the ability of cities to charge citizens in extraterritorial zoning areas more for building permits. The genesis for the legislation…

Extra-territorial zoning has been a controversial area of policy in North Dakota for some time now. Essentially it’s state law which allows municipalities to regulate areas outside of their jurisdiction. Depending on the size of the community, they can implement zoning regulations up to four miles outside of their city limits. The problem? The citizens…